Discounted faculty, staff meal plans available through Aug. 20

For a limited time, Ohio University faculty and staff can purchase a meal plan for the upcoming school year at 2013-2014 prices. This early-bird offer runs through Aug. 20.

Culinary services’ faculty and staff meal plans, with prices that break down to as low as $5.30 per meal on a Connect 20 plan, have become increasingly popular over the last couple of years.

“Faculty/Staff meal plans experienced 100 percent growth during the 2013-2014 school year,” said Rich Neumann, director of residential dining. “It’s a fantastic option for any employee, regardless of how often they eat on campus, because the meals don’t expire until the end of each school year.”

Meal plans can be purchased in blocks of 10 or 20 meals and can be used in any campus dining court or hall or Grab N Go location. The third option — the Culinary Passport — allows faculty and staff to utilize their meal plan in any dining court or hall, Grab N Go, Culinary Café or Baker University Center retail venues, including West 82 Food Court and Latitude 39 Casual Dining.

Plans are valid the entire school year (through May 2, 2015), meaning there’s no pressure to utilize them on a weekly or monthly basis. Each plan is conveniently loaded onto an employee’s OHIO ID.

According to OHIO Culinary Services Assistant Director of Auxiliary Sales Dan Pittman, the most popular option is the Connect 20 Meal Plan, followed by the Culinary Passport.

“Our faculty and staff meal plans were designed to help increase interaction between students and faculty outside of the classroom,” Pittman explained. “Research has shown that a faculty member who shares meals with their students often results in students learning more, becoming more engaged in the classroom and more likely to excel in their scholarly endeavors.”

Meal plans also enable faculty and staff to collaborate with colleagues and enjoy a variety of food options within walking distance from work, which is a benefit during the warm summer months, he added.